Folding machine



A. F. SHIELDS FOLDING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. alberf g [field-S ATTORNEY.

. 14, 1943. A. F. SHIELDS FOLDING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. alberfi t gfhields BY Z W ATTORNEY.

6 Sheets-Sheet 3 t w Ag 6% INVENTOR. Glberifi Q/bield-s BY g @224 ATTORNEY.

Dec. 14, 1943. s s 2,336,507

FOLDING MACHINE Filed April 0 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. alberf a'rflf/lo'elds BY :Q 2

ATTORNEY.

A. F. SHIELDS 2,336,507

FOLDING MACHINE Dec. 14, 1943.

Filed April 2, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 if? #A /Z5' u. d I05 F I G. 9

Z 8 7 a5 Q5 20 H 6Q w v 22 E 50 F l G. IO

INVENTOR.

(Elbert J. Qfhb'elds BY g j 2 5 g ATTORNEY Dec. 14, 1943. A. F. sun-10s FOLDING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 JIAF 97 FIGJZ.

FIG. l4.

' INVENTOR. (Elbert f l1 ields F'IGJB.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 14, 1943 FOLDING MACHINE Albert F. Shields, Jamaica, N. Y,, assignor to S. a S. Corrugated Paper Machiner 00.. ha, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 2, 1940, Serial No. 327,438

22 Claims. (oi. 93-49) This invention relates to folding machines and more particularl to a type of folding mechanism wherein large-sized box blanks of, for instance, corrugated board may be folded in their flat condition preparatory to any further manuchines are notoriously old in the art but have been incapable of commercial use except for relaturing operation which may be required, such as for instance, the application of an adhesive strip in order to create a rectangular tube.

Hitherto mechanisms used have not provided a simple and efiective method of producing accu-- rate folds. Unless a blank is folded accurately, it will not produce a rectangular box. Mechanisms for this purpose have either been ineffective or are so complicated that they are not rapid in operation and increase set-up time.

Frequently in the operation of folding machines, it has been necessary to provide folding elements which acted on the web during it forward motion. These machines were necessarily large and cumbersome and it was very diflicult to provide means for producing accurate folds while the blank was in motion. Also, set-up time was increased in the continuous type of machine.

Other types of folding machines which may operate upon the blank alone after the blank has come to rest have depended on complicated gripping and folding members which were cumbersome and difficult in use and wherein the operation could not be completely automatic or accurate.

Attempts have been made either to arrest the blank during actual folding or, while permitting the blank to continue its movement, to utilize means for folding the blank not necessarily dependent on the motion thereof.

Thus, in Sidebotham 2,029,394 as well as in Wade 1,505,178 an attempt has been made to arrest the blank and then fold it by utilizing a rack and pinion arrangement to effect operation of the folding members. Apart from the noise inherent in such arrangement and wear and tear inherent in constant acceleration and deceleration of motion entailed thereby, speed of any kind, which is a prime requisite of mechanical operation, was impossible.

Other attempts have been made to fold while omized by Simmons 1,949,495. Folding matively low rates of folding, because in rapid folding the infoldedends have a tendency to cock relative to each other and the main portion of the blank. This results in a tubular box which, when opened, is not exactly rectangularly in cross-sectional outline and is not of the same rectangular outline throughout the box. The vaiiationmay be anywhere from an eighth of an inch or greater and in relatively deep boxes, this variation is progressive and is extremely objectionable and may render the box unsatisfactory for the use to which it is intended. This isso because the gap that results therefrom between the adjacent box forming portions weakens the box so that the sealing tape employed is the only sustaining element and must serve not only as a means for securing the box parts together, but also must serve as a part of the box wall. This naturally means the box is no stronger than the tape and for protection purposes, this tape has little or no protective action.

Also, for the packaging of very small articles, a substantially square box must be provided. Boxes which are not substantially square are known as imperfect boxes. These imperfect boxes have generally been caused by reason of the blank traveling whilethe ends are being infolded, and

the greater the speed of travel of the blank, the greater is this tendency to vary from the exact squaring. Inother words, the greater the capacity of the machine or the faster the rate of folding, the greater is the tendency to deviate from the squared box. Of course, there is a line between which the rate of machine production is below that of hand production. The higher the I production rate, the greater the tendency to deviate because in machines of tnischaracter, it is practically impossible to stop the travel of the blank to permit folding the ends while the blank is stationary.

And yet, the prior art, although recognizingthis, has been forced to use such expedients as An equally important object is to secure accurate folds b first symmetricall folding the blank and then correcting if this fold is inaccurate.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a method and means for folding wherein a series of blanks may be sequentially folded in a fully automatic operation without the intervention of any manually controlled agency whatever.

Another object is to provide means for straightening inaccurately creased blanks by first applying pressure rollers to the crease to open it somewhat to enable straightening by the slot,

and then recreasing after it is straightened so that the new straightened crease will hold.

A still further and important object of this present invention is the provision of an automatic folding mechanism wherein a group of blanks may be piled one upon the other at one end of the machine, each blank automatically taken from the stack, automatically folded and immediately delivered at the opposite end of the machine.

Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved kicker mechanism for removing blanks of other members from a piled stack.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a folding mechanism wherein folding arms are used, the said arms however not rotating about a fixed hinge but being so arranged as to impart both the initial folding impetus and a completing folding pressure in a Single operation.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a conveyor belt in an apparatus of the type described together with means for automatically removing the blank from the infiuence of the conveyor belt even while it remains in a position to be conveyed thereby and automatically once more permitting the blank after necessary operations have been completed thereon to be again conveyed by the conveyor mechanism itself.

Another object is to provide a conveyor similar to that used on the standard taping machines so that a taping unit might readily be mounted on the end of the folder.

By the various apparatus hereafter described, I have been enabled to obtain each of these ob- Jects to the extent that my apparatus embodying the present invention can accurately fold and recrease upwards of 120 large size shipping container blanks per minute.

Other important objects and uses of the present invention will in part be apparent and in part pointed out in the following description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the folding machine of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the kicker mechanism for removing individual blanks from a stack.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the folding machine.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figures 5 and 6 are side views illustrating details of the conveyor belt.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 1 'I of Figure 3 showing one phase of the folding plate operation.

Figure 8 is a view corresponding to Figure 7 showing another phase of the folding plate op eration.

Figure 9 is a. cross-sectional view partly in elevation taken along 9-9 of Figure 3 and therefore along a line at right angles to that at which Figures 7 and 8 are taken.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view partly in elevation taken along line Ill-l0 of Figure 3.

Figure 11 is an enlarged detail view of one side of the folding plate mechanism of Figures 7 and 8.

Figure 12 is an enlarged detail view of tion of Figure 8.

Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view taken on line l3-l3 of Figure 3.

Figure 14 is a. view corresponding to a portion of Figure 1 and showing a form of slat.

Figure 15 corresponds to Figure 14 showing a modified form of slat.

Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view on line ll6 of Figure 3.

Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view on line II-ll of Figure 3.

Referring now to Figures 1, 3 and 4, a stack 20 of blanks 2| is placed upon the bed 22 of the machine. The bed 22 is supported in any suitable manner so that it is substantially on a level with or slightly above the topsurface of the conveyor belts 23 and 24.

Each blank 2| is fed from the bottom-of the stack 20 on to conveyor belts 23 and 24, is brought to a halt by the stops 25, is thereafter folded up in a manner herein described by the folding mechanism generally indicated as 26, is by means of the folding operation itself released from the stop and is then passed on to pressure rolls HI and I22 which assist in completing the fold and is delivered at the opposite end of the machine in folded condition.

The blank is folded over the bars 92 and 33 which hold the blank while it is folded, form the crease and hold it open somewhat so that the conveyor slat I I2 can push the flaps even and carry the blank under the pressure rollers i2l, I22 to have the crease pressed permanently in this accurate position.

The machine is operated from any suitable power supply such as the motor 28 which is connected by the pulley 29, belt 30 and pulley 3| to the shaft 32. A chain and sprocket connection 333435 between the shaft 32 and the shaft 36 effects the rotation of the said shaft 36 and consequently rotates the sprockets 31 and 38 a POT- which are keyed thereto in any suitable manner.

The sprockets 31 and 38 carry respectively endless belts 23 and carried at the opposite end of the conveyor path by the sprockets 39 and 40 which are mounted on the shaft 4| which may rotate freely within its mounting in the frame.

In this manner, the conveyor belts are operated and the means for transporting each blank 2! from one end of the machine to the other is made effective.

The shaft 36 .drives the shaft 42 through the chain and sprocket arrangement 4344a45a. The shaft 42 rotates freely within the mechanism and carries at each end thereof bevel gears 44 and 45. Bevel gear 44 meshes with bevel gear 46 rotating shaft 41 and bevel gear 45 meshes with bevel gear 48 rotating shaft 49. The rotation of shafts 4! and 49 results in operation of theigoliding plates in the manner hereinbefore descr e The shaft 32 also drives shaft to through the 24, the said endless belts being chain and sprocket arrangementv l-52-55. Rotation of shaft 55 operates the kicker mechanism. of Figures 2 and hereinafter described.

Rotation of shaft 55 also results in rotation of gear 54 which through the idler 55 causes the sprocket 56 coaxially mounted with the idler 55 to rotate. Sprocket 55 operates chain 51 which through sprocket 58 rotates shaft 55 thus operating the feed rollers 55 and 5|.

may also be carried by the shaft 54 and may also be adjustably mounted thereon by means of the screws 59 and 15. As seen particularly in Figures 3 and 4, these front stacking elements are so arranged that they prevent the movement of the stack forward upon the conveyor belt, but, however, leaving a gap or slot 'll between the member 58 and the bed 22 of the machine through which the lowest blank 2| of the stack 25 may be passed.

All of the other elements 2| of the stack 25 are retained by the members 51 and 55 against frictional forward displacement by reason of the fact that the bottonmost blank is pushed forward through the slot 1 l.

Pressure feed rollers 55 and 5| are rotatably carried on the shaft 59 and are so arranged that when the lowest blank of the stack 25 is pushed through the slot 1| these rolls may engage the blank and pass it forward upon the conveyor belts 23 and 24 pushing it so far upon them that the engaging elements hereinafter described upon the belt itself will be sufiicient to move the blank forward.

The first element of the operation of the mechanism, therefore, is the means for'removing the lowest blank of the stack from the stack itself, sliding the said blank out through the slot 'll so that it may be engaged by the feed rollers 55 and 5| and passed thereby to the conveyor belts 23 and 24. This means, hereinafter called generically the kicker mechanism, is shown in Figures 2, 4 and 10.

Drive shaft 55 thereof is rotated in a manner hereinbefore described by appropriate connections with the source of motive power. Drive shaft 55 carries keyed thereto the link or crank member 12 which rotates in the direction shown by the arrows in Figure 2. Crank member I2 is pivotally connected at F3 to the link 14, the

to the same pivot 15 to which the 11m; 14 is con- 65 nected. Kicker arm 18 is connected at one end to the pivot I5 and at the opposite end is at '19 pivotally connected to the kicker platform 85. The kicker platform 85 moves in the groove 5| immediately beneath the bed of the mechanism 70 22. The kicker platform 85 carries fixedly attached thereto an extension or pedestal 82 which extends through the slot 83 in the bed 22, the said pedestal 82 carrying at the front end thereof connected to the pedestal 82 by means of the screw".

A forward motion of the kicker platform 85 will result in a corresponding forward motion of theejccting plate 84. The ejecting plate 54 is so arranged that it abuts against the rear edge of the lowest blank of the stack and pushes this blank out through the slot 'II in the manner herein described.

Rotation of the shaft 55 through the link 14 and the cranks l2 and 15 connected in the manner hereinbefore described results in the exertion of a pull upoh the arm 18 which results in the pulling forward of the kicker platform 85 and the ejection of the lowest blank of the stack through the slot 1 I.

The arrangement shown in Figure 2, of the operating crank and the idling crank, is so oriented that the greatest radius of rotation of the pivot I5 with respect to the drive shaft 55 occurs at the period when a blank is being pushed ou by the ejector plate 84 through the gap 1| so that at that moment the kicker platform reaches its greatest speed. The effective radius of rotation of the pivot 15 with respect to the drive shaft 55 during the return stroke and preparatory to the next ejection operation is relatively slow. As will be noted, therefore, this results in a rapid extrusion of the blank to be operated upon from the bottom of the stack and iii a sudden jerking of the blank out from beneath the stack, thus tending as much as possible to avoid disarrangement of the stack or undue pressure of the stack as a whole against the stops 5! and 58.

The motion of the kicker mechanism resulting in an ejection of the blank is timed by arrangemen of the speed ratios of the various shafts so that one of the spring members 85 (Figures 4, 5 and 6) of the belts 23 and 24 may engage the rear end of the blank after it has been passed on by the feed rollers 55 and 5 I.

These members, as seen in Figure 5, carry the blank forward until the blank reaches the stationary stops 81 and 58 which are adjustably mounted by means of the screws 89 and 85 upon the slotted bar 8| which in turn is carried by the frame of the machine. When the forward edge of the blank strikes the stops then the force required to move the blankforward is suddenly increased and the members 85 by reason of their spring arrangement and by reason of the forward motion of their associated belt 28 and 24 will be forced beneath the blank and con- -tinue to pass beneath it without exerting any additional further forward pressure thereon. At this time, therefore, the folding operation of the mechanism 25 takes place.

During high speed operation, spring members 85 may well be dispensed with since the speed of rotation of rolls 5| will be such as to shoot the blank out upon the belt and up against the stops 8! and 55. I

The means for causing the rotation of shafts 41 and 48 haVe been heretofore described. Referring now to Figures 7, 8 and 11, it willbe noted that the rotation of shaft 41 in the direction indicated by the arrows will result in the folding up of the blank.

It will be noted that as the blank leaves the pressure rolls, it advances beneath the two stationary longitudinally arranged bars 92 and 83,

the position of which may be rendered adjustable with respect to the particular location of the the ejecting plate 84 which may be adjustably fold lines of a particular operation by means of the adjustable mountings rectangular shaft 84.

As the blank is 'carried forward beneath these bars and by the conveyor belt, it passes along and above the bars 80 and 81 which provide for additional support for the folding operation hereinafter described. The bars 83 and 84 are so located by means of their adjustable mounting that they are adjacent the fold line 88 in the blank.

The position of the apparatus shown in Figure 3 is that immediately after the fold has been completed and before the folding mechanism) has released the blank 2I.

In Figure 8 is seen the positionwhen the blank has first come to rest against the stops 81 and 88. As will be noted particularly in Figure 17, the stops 8! and 88 may be curved at 30I so that the blank will not be brought to a sudden stop which will crush the forward edge thereof but so that it may ride up slightly and thus stop less violently.

The folding plate I occupies a position substantially at right angles to that of the flap IOI which is to be folded. The folding plate I00 comprises the flat plate I02, the curved bearing surface I03, the end bearing surface I03a, the U- shaped folding completion end I04, and the auxiliary bearing surface I040. All of these mem- 84 and 88 upon the bers are integrally and rigidly associated with each other. Crank member I05 is rotatably supported on the shaft I88 and carries at the opposite end thereof and rigidly attached thereto the mounting III of the folding plate I00. Members I00 and I05 are 30 arranged that their angle with respect to each other is at all times a constant, that is, they are rigidly related with respect to each other in such a manner that a movement or rotation of the crank I05 will resuit in a corresponding movement of the folding plate I00.

Link I08 is pivotally connected at I08 to the end of the crank I05 which carries the mounting I0'I of the folding plate I00. I08 is pivoted at its opposite end on the pin Ill of the driving crank III which is ke ed to and rotated by the drive shaft 41.

As seen in Figures 7 and 11, rotation of the crank III in the direction shown by the arrows results in a corresponding rotation of the pivot IIO, resulting in a movement of the link I08.

By reason of the fact that the crank I05 is pivoted on the stationary shaft I06, the only direction in which the link I08 may be moved is one in which it rises substantially in a direction longitudinally with I This causes a rise of the end I09 of the crank I08 causing the folding plate I 00 correspondingly to rise. The dotted line position of Figure 11 shows the folding plate I00 when it has been respect to its own axis.

partially pushed up by the mechanism herein described.

As it is further pushed up, it forces over the flap IM and when the operation is completed, the folding plate has assumed the position shown in Figure 7 where the U-shaped folded completed portion thereof I04 is in engagement with the flap IM and the main portion of the blank- 2| at the fold line 98 folding the members about the die or folding bar 84.

Continuation of the rotationof the pivot IIO results now in a pulling of the link I08 in a direction substantially downward with respect to its own axis and a corresponding movementoutward and downward of the pivot I08 thus resultopposite folds and since the rollers 200 are spaced.

ing in a disengagement of the folding plate from the blank and the rearrangement of the mechanism so that it is ready for the next folding operation.

By this means, a continuous, rotary, non-reciprocal motion results in the alternat raising and lowering of the folding plates and in a position complete fold of the flap as a result of a movement of the foldingplate through substantially less than 180. The flap is supported by the auxiliary surface I04a at the commencement of the fold and by plate I02 toward the end of the operation. The preferred form of the folding member is that illustrated although it will be obvious that the plate or wing may terminate at the end of plate I02 and still operate in the same manner. The illustrated form obviates a y breaking or creasing of the body of the flap during the operation.

The stop members 81 and 88 are so arranged that when the flaps IOI have been folded up, they shown in Figure 14 or of the modified form II2a of Figure 15) carried by the belts 23 and 24 come into contact with the end of the blank as soon as the folding operation is completed and push the blank forward off the bars 93 and 94 upon the bars 88 and 9'! and beneath the end curved bars H3 and H4 which are adjustably mounted on the same adjustable mounting H5, H8 which carries the bars 96 and 91. These members serve to prevent unfolding of the flaps IOI from the blank; The edges of the blank pass upon the adjustably mounted bars I" and III which are carried by the adjustable mountings IIS and I20. These adjustable mountings II! and I20 also carry pressure rolls I2I and I22 (see Figure 16) which are spring pressed against the bars II! and H8 so that a final completing folding pressure is applied to the blank 2|. The positive engagement by the member II2 against the rear end of the blank 2| serves to force the blank oif the belt at the right hand end of the machine and to deliver the blank in its folded form.

A series of rollers 200 are rotatably mounted on the stud 20l (see Figures 3 and 13) on the bars I" and H8. As is seen particularly in Figure 13, the rollers 200 comprise flanges 202 and 203 and an annular recess or groove 204 between them. This annular recess or groove is of such dimension as readily to receive the folded portion of the box blank.

As is more clearly seen in Figure 3, a plurality of such rollers 200 are mounted on opposite sides of the path of the folded blank and preferably are spaced apart so that bases of the grooves 204 of opposed rollers are space apart by slightly less than the exact width desired for the folded blank.

When the engagement member II2 foi'ces the folded blank away from the folding means and below the bars II! and H8, it also forces the folded blank so that the folds thereof travel in the annular recesses of the rollers. Since the blank travels linearly in a direction exactly at right angles to a line Pe pendicular to the apart from each other along the exact line of the folds, any irregularities of the fold or any lack either of trueness thereof will be straightened out by a combination of the linear force induced by the member H2 and the compressive force induced between a pair of rollers when any portion of the blank passing between them is wider than the selected distance between the opposite folded lines. The rollers 200 thus soften the crease and open it up slightly so that the folds may be reset by the recreasing rolls along the desired line.

This series of rollers therefore assures that the folds created in the blank are absolutely true and that they do not vary in any way from ment of th blank.

exact parallellism with the linear direction of is determined by the abutment of the engagement member II2 against the back edge of the blank and since therefore the back edge of the blank is exactly perpendicular to the linear direction of the blank, then this set of rollers insures that the fold will be exactly perpendicular to at least the back edge of the blank.

This device has been found in actual practice to insure exact perpendicularity of the folds of the blank with the edges thereof and has been utilized even where the original score lines predetermining the folds were not exactly perpendicular to the back edge.

In the latter case, the folding members bend up the flaps of the blank along the score lines originally provided therein and the force of the blank thereafter between the rollers 200 recreases the blank so that the fold will be exactly perpendicular to the back edge. In actual practice, it has been found that even though the score lines are out of true sufiiciently to permit an overlapping of the flap beyond the back edge of as much as the recreasing means herein provided actually has brought the folded blank back to true position with the fold lines exactly perpendicular to the edge.

The re-creasing means therefore not merely assures that the crease or fold is set in the blank but actually compensates for any lack of trueness in the fold and actually turns a fold which has been slightly out of true into exactly true relation to the rest of the blank.

It may be noted in passing that in order that tension upon the belts be proper, the shafts 4| carrying the sprockets 39 and 48 may as seen in Figure 1, be adjustably mounted in the frame of the machine so that adjustment of the screw I23 will vary the tension upon the belt. portant elements of the present device are the kicker or feeder mechanism, the folding mechanism, the crease opening or softening mechanism, and the final pressure or recreasing mechanism--all these combined with the adjustable stops and the-particularly novel means for rendering the stops efiective when that result is desired.

Thus for instance, the stop which permits the blank to be acted uponby the folding apparatus is removed from effective cooperation with the blank merely by completion of the folding operation and not by any other mechanism. The stop which holds the pile of blanks in readiness is re- The immoved from effective operation not by any move- In order to insure that the proper relationship exists between the folding apparatus 26 and the spring catch 86 and the rigid member II2 of the conveyor belts, the folding apparatus isdrlven from the drive shaft of the conveyor belts. By this means any originally established interrelationship may be continued. Likewise the kicker mechanism should be so arranged that when the blank is fed out through the slot 2|, the first portion of the belt which engages it should be the spring member 86. When the blank abuts against the stops-81 and 88, the continued belt pressure upon the spring member 88 will cause the belt to pull the spring member beneath the blank and the blank willbe held in position by the stops 81 and 88. Rigidmember 2 should not then come into contact'with the rear edge of the blank until the folding plates I00 have been in engagement with and have begun to be disengaged from the blank. The reason a more rigid member is required for then moving .the blank forward is that now the blank has become frictionally engaged with the bars 92 and 93 and it is to be further frictionaliy engaged between the bars 96 and H3, 91 and I I4, the crease softening rolls 200 and the bar H8 and recreasing roll I22 and bar II! and recreasing roll I2I. The rigid member I I2 thus serves to remove the blank from the bars longitudinally and slidingly from the bars 92 and 93 and to move it beneath the final pressure rolls which insure the completion of the fold and also removes the blank from the apparatus.

It will thus be seen that by this simplified apparatus an entire stack of blanks may be successively operated upon, the bottom blank of each stack being successively removed from the stack, being pushed out to be carried forward by a conveyor belt to a stop device, the stop holding the blank in a position where it may be acted upon by folding plates. After the folding plates have turned the flaps and formed them about the folding bars, a portion of the conveyor belt may carry the blank forward between pressure rolls to complete the folding operation. No manual operation of any kind whatever is required in the process.

As will be noted, every member which actually engages the blanks in any way whatever may be adjustably mounted with respect to the width of the blanks. Thus the stacking members 62 and 63, the stops 6! and 68, the folding bars 92 and 93 are all adjustably mounted on the rectilinear shaft 64.

Likewise the stops 89 and and the bars I" and H8 as well as the bars H3 and H4 and even the recreasing rolls I22 and I2I are all adjustably mounted with respect to the width of the blank.

As is also seen in Figures 1 and '7, the folding plates themselves are each adjustably mounted with respect to the width of the blank and with respect to the spacing apart of the fold lines.

For this purpose, it is obviously necessary to make only one of the folding plate assemblies adjustable although both of them may be simultaneously or individually adjustable with respect to the width of the blank. The means shown in Figure '7 comprises the mounting of all of the apparatus of the right hand folding plate I08 .upon a sliding frame I23. This sliding frame may slide to the right or left with respect to Figure? in the guide or keyway I24. The shaft 42 is not a single integral shaft as has been assumed for the previous description but is hollowed and carries an interior keyway I25.

Shaft I 26 is slidably mounted in the shaft 42 and has a key I21 registering with the keyway I25 in such a manner that the shaft III always rotates with the shaft 42 and the only motion it may have with respect to the shaft 42 is a 'threads I32 of shaft I30 engage the threads of the perforation I29 of the extension I28 and rotation of the shaft I30 by means of the hand wheel I33 (Figure 1) will result in a movement of the frame member I23 and consequently of the folding plate for adJustment for width of the particular blank.

The basic elements of the present invention which render the same not merely operative but effect a folding speed of much more than 120 blanks per minute on merely experimental apparatus comprise: V

The novel kicker, the thrust of which should cause the blank to reach feed rollspeed at its maximum point.

A blank arresting means comprising a fixed stop, unmovable during operation; the feed rolls may travel at a higher speed than the belt and shoot the blank against the stop; the blank is automatically released from the stop when the flaps are raised.

A fold straightening means which opens up and softens the crease to enable realignment by the slat; applies pressure upon the crease inwardly upon the folded edges: uses roller means for the purpose; wherein the slat aligns the blank so that pressure rollers tend to straighten the creases; wherein the slat aligns the flaps so that they are in registry with each. other; recreasing rollers apply pressure to'the crease perpendicularly to the edge of the folded blank and set the folds in realigned position.

As has been above noted, the operation ,itself is extremely simple. It is necessary only to stack the blanks at one end and to receive them in their folded condition at the other end. The machine as has been pointed out, may readily be adjusted for any size blank, each of the members and portions thereof which operate upon the blank to fold the same being adjusted with respect to the width of'the blank.

In the foregoing description, I have attempted to describe my invention with respect to the specific apparatus shown. The elements thereof and the cooperation between these elements may, of course, be set forth in various different embodiments. Owing to this fact, I prefer to be limited not by the specific disclosure herein but only by the appended claims.

I- claim:

1. In a folding machine for forming flat, collapsed tubular box blanks from flat and scored sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; stop members mounted on said machine; means for moving said blanks successively against said stop members, means for molding over the side sections, said folding operation releasing said blanks from said stop, and means forreforming the crease in the folded blank. 1

2. In a folding machine for forming fiat, collapsed tubular box blanks from flat and scored sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; stop members mounted on said machine; means for maving said blanks successively against said stop members, means for folding over the side sections, said folding operation releasing said. blanks from said stop, and means for softening the creases in the folded blank, and means for recreasing said blank along a selected creasing line within said crease-softened areas.

3. In a folding machine for forming fiat collapsed tubular box blanks from flat and scored sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; stop members mounted on said machine; means for moving said blanks suecessively against said stop members, means for folding over the side sections, said folding operation releasing said blanks from said stop, said folding means comprising a pair of oppositely disposed folding plates, means for rotating said plates about an axis parallel to the score lines defining said longitudinally extending side sections, said plates being rotatable and engaging the side sections during rotation; and rotating said side sections into face to face relation with the body. of the blank, said plates being so arranged that the folding plates rotate the side sections through a greater angle than the folding plates traverse.

4. In a folding machine for forming flat collopsed tubular box blanks from fiat and scored sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; stop members mounted on said machine; means for moving said blanks successively against said stop members, means for folding. over the side sections, said folding operation releasing said blanks from said stop, said folding means comprising a pair of oppositely disposed folding plates, means for rotating said plates about an axis parallel to the score lines defining said longitudinally extending side sections, said plates beingrotatable and engaging the side sections during rotation; and rotating said side sections into. face to face relation with the body of the blank, said plates rotating through less than to rotate said sections through 180.

5. In a folding machine for forming flat collapsed tubular box blanks from flat and scored sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; stop members mounted on said machine; means for moving said blanks successively against said stop members, means for folding over the side sections, said folding operation releasing said blank -from said stop, said folding means comprising a pair of oppositely disposed folding plates. means for rotating said plates about an axis parallel to the score lines de fining said longitudinally extending side sections, said plates being rotatable and engaging the side sections during rotation; and rotating said side sections into face to face relation with the body of the blank, said plates being rotatable to blank receiving position after completion. of a folding operation, said reciprocating motion of each of said folding plates from blank folding to blank receiving position being actuated by a link connected at one end to the plate and at the other end to a source of power.

6. In a folding machine for forming fiat collapsed tubular box blanks from fiat and scored sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; stop membersmounted on said machine; means for moving rotating said side sections into face to face relation with the body of the blank, said plates being rotatable to blank receiving position after completion oi a folding operation, said means for rotating said plates comprising links, said links being rotatably reciprocated by a continuous rotary movement.

7. in a folding machine for forming fiat 001- lapsed tubular box blanks from fiat and scored sheets; said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; stop members mounted on said machine; means for moving said blanks successively against said stop members, means for folding over the side sections, said folding opera-- tion releasing said blanks from said stop, said folding means comprising a. pair of oppositely disposed folding plates, means for rotating said plates about an ax s parallel to the score lines defining said longitudinally extending side sec-,

tions, said plates being rotatable and engaging the side sections during rotation; and rotating said side sections into face to face relation with the body of the blank, said plates being rotatable to blank receiving position after completion of a folding operation, said means for rotating-each plate comprising a link, one end of said link being fixedly attached to said plate, the other end of said link being reciprocally rotatable by a continuous rotary movement for rotating said plate about its axis.

8. Apparatus for straightening folded flat collapsed tubular box-blanks, said collapsed blanks foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; stop members mounted on said machine; means for moving said blanks successively against said stop members, means'for tudinally extending side sections, said plates being rotatable and engaging the side sections during rotation; and rotating said side sections into face.

to face relation with the body of the blank, said stops comprising a pair of members disposed to engage the leading edges of the side sections of the blank, said folding operation releasing said blanks from said stop, and means for softening the creases in the folded blank, and means for recreasing said blank along a selected creasing line within said crease-softened areas.

10. In a folding machine for forming fiat collapsed tubular box blanks from flat and scored sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; means for folding over the side sections; and means for softening the creases in the folded blank, and means for recreasing said blank along a selected creasing line.

11. In a folding machine for forming fiat collapsed tubular box blanks from flat and scored sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; means for folding over the side sections; means for softening the creases in the folded blank, and means for recreasing said blank along a selected creasing line within said crease-softened areas, said means comprising means for moving said blank longitudinally in a direction parallel to the creases, means for applying pressure at the creases iiwardly toward the body of the folded blank for softening the crease, and means for forming a i new crease in said crease-softened area.

12. In a folding machine for forming flat collapsed tubular box blanks from flat and scored sheets, said sheets having a, pair of longitudinally extending'side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; means for folding over the side sections; means for softening the creases in the folded. blank, and means for recreasing said blank along a. selected creasing line within said crease-softened areas, said means comprising means for moving said blank longitudinally in a direction parallel to the creases, means for applying pressure at the creases inwardly toward the body of the folded blank for softening the crease, means for maintaining the trailing edge of saidblank perpendicular to the direction of movement thereof, and means for forming new creases in said crease softened areas perpendicular to said trailing edge.

13. In a folding machine for forming fiat, collapsed tubular box blanks fromfiat and scored sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined byscore' lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; means for folding over the side sections; means for softening the creases in the folded blank, and means for recreasing said blank along a selected creasing line within said crease-softened areas, said means comprising a slat for moving said blank longitudinally in a direction parallel to the creases, means for applying pressure at the creases inwardly toward the body of the folded blank for softening the bular arrangement; means for folding over the side sections; and means for softening the creases in the folded blank, and means for recreasing said blank along a selected creasing line within said crease-softened areas, said means comprising a slat "for moving said blank longitudinally in a direction substantially parallel to the creases, said slat maintaining the trailing edge of said blank perpendicular to the direction of movement thereof, slightly less than the width of the blank, said slat forcing the blank between the rollers, said passage of said blank between said rollers softening the creases, and means for forming new creases in said crease-softened areas perpendicular to said trailing edge.

7 15. In a folding machine for forming flat collapsed tubular box blanks from flat and scored .sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into collapsed tubular arrangement; means for folding over the side sections; and means for softening the creases in the folded blank, and means for recreasing said blank along a selected creasing line within said crease-softened areas, said means comprising a slat for moving said blank longitudinally in a direction substantially parallel to the creases, said slat maintaining the trailing edge of said blank perpendicular to the direction of movement thereof, opposed rollers spaced apart slightly less than the width of the blank, said slat forcing the blank between the rollers, said passage of said blank between said rollers softening the creases, and means for forming new creases in said crease-softened areas perpendicular to said trailing edge, said last mentioned means comprising pressure rolls engageable with said crease-softened areas. v

16. A machine for straightening folded collapsed tubular box blank, said collapsed blanks having folded longitudinal edges, said machine comprising means for softening the creases in the folded blank, and means for recreasing said blank along a selected creasing line within said crease-softened areas, said means comprising a slat for moving said blank longitudinally in a direction parallel to the creases, means for applying pressure at the creases inwardly toward the a body of the folded blank for softening the crease, said slat maintaining the trailing edge of. said blank perpendicular to the direction of movement thereof, and means for forming new creases in said crease softened areas perpendicular o said trailing ed e.

17. A machine for straightening folded collapsed tubular box blanks, said collapsed blanks having .folded longitudinal edges, said machine comprising means for softening the creases in the folded blank, and means for recreasing said blank along a selected creasing line within said crease-softened areas, said means comprising a slat for moving said blank longitudinally in a direction substantially parallel to the creases, said-slat maintaining the trailing edge of said blank perpendicular to the direction of movement thereof, opposed rollers spaced apart slightly less than the width of the blank, said opposed rollers spaced apart slat forcing the blank between the rollers, said passage of said blank between said rollers softening the creases, and means for forming new creases in said crease-softened areas penpendicular to said trailing edge.

18. A machine for straightening folded collapsed tubular box blanks, said collapsed blanks having folded longitudinal edges, said machine comprising means for softening the creases in the folded blank, and means for recreasing said blank along a selected creasing line within said creasesoftened areas, said means comprising a slat for moving said blank longitudinally in a direction substantially parallel to the creases, said slat maintaining the trailing edge of said blank perpendicular to the direction of movement thereof. opposed rollers spaced apart slightly less than the width of the blank, said slat forcing the blank between the rollers, said passage of said blank between said rollers softening the creases, and means for forming new creases in said creasesoftened areas perpendicular to said trailing edge, said last mentioned means comprising pressure rolls engageable with said crease-softened areas.

19. A machine for straightening folded, fiat, collapsed, tubular box blanks, said collapsed blanks having folded longitudinal edges; means for softening and repositioning the creases in said folded longitudinal edges; and means for maintaining said repositioned creases.

20. In a folding machine for forming flat, collapsed tubular box blanks from flat and scored sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular, arrangement; means for continuously moving said blanks successively into a position to be'folded'; means for stopping said blanks when said blanks have reached such position; means for folding over said side sections while said blanks are halted; and means for moving said blanks from said folding position after the same have been folded.

21. In a folding machine for forming flat, collapsed tubular box blanks from flat and scored sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; means for moving said blanks successively into a position to be folded; means for stopping said blanks when said blanks have reached such position; means for folding over said side sections; and means for re-forming the crease in the folded blank.

22. In a folding machine for forming flat, collapsed tubular box blanks from flat and scored sheets, said sheets having a pair of longitudinally extending side sections defined by score lines and foldable about said score lines into said collapsed tubular arrangement; means for moving said blanks successively into a position to be folded; means for stopping said blanks when said blanks have reached such position; means for folding over said side sections; and means for moving said blanks from said folding position after the same have been folded; and means for re-forming the crease in the folded blank.

ALBERT F. SHIELDS. 

